In light of my upcoming trip to Disneyland (just four more days!!!) and current events, I’ve decided that a list of epic, strong, independent Disney ladies is what everyone needs to hear. These aren’t in any super particular order, but here are ten of my personal favorite female Disney characters!

10. Megara from Hercules

Despite this movie’s many flaws (as a Greek mythology enthusiast, the inaccuracies make it not one of my favorite movies), you can’t deny that Meg is one of the coolest Disney ladies around. She’s not technically a princess, but she may as well be. Plus, she’s super sassy, and can take care of herself.

Rating: 10/10 for sass

9. Tiana from The Princess and the Frog

Tiana is one of the most underrated Disney princesses and I can’t imagine why. She’s full of spirit, hard-working, and never gives up on her dreams. She’s super inspirational to me, and knows that with hard work and dedication, you can always achieve what you want!

Rating: 10/10 for ability to mince

8. Honey Lemon from Big Hero 6

Honey Lemon is the princess we all deserve. She’s super smart… I mean think about how quick thinking she must be to be able to actually come up with exactly the right chemical equation, type it into her periodic table, and then use it in the heat of battle! Not to mention that, but she shows that a girl can be super feminine and also super smart and strong!

Rating: 11/10 for probably being able to recite the periodic table in her sleep

7. Mulan from Mulan

A list like this wouldn’t be complete without one of the most badass Disney princesses to date. Mulan saved her entire country for starters, I mean, you don't get much cooler than that. She was brave enough to go to battle alongside a bunch of stinky men to save her father and her country, and succeeded!

Rating: 12/10 for fighting good

6. Moana from Moana

How could I fail to mention my favorite, and newest addition to the Disney princess lineup. Oh wait, she’s not a princess. She’s the daughter of the chief. And she’s AWESOME. She sails across the entire ocean on her quest, and she’s actually the hero of her own epic! Also she’s friends with the ocean so that’s kind of fantastic.

Rating: 15/10 for fabulous hair

5. Mabel Pines from Gravity Falls

Yes, Gravity Falls is Disney, and Mabel is the best. She’s hilarious, adorable, and cares so deeply about those she loves: deeply enough that she’d do anything for them. Plus, she is never afraid to be herself, no matter how quirky or weird that is. She embraces her weirdness, and shows that being silly sometimes is definitely not a bad thing.

Rating: 20/10 for her ridiculous sweater making talent

4. Rapunzel from Tangled

I had to mention my favorite princess, (and not JUST because I relate to her more than any of the others!) Even though Rapunzel spent her whole life locked in a tower, she still manages to be awesome. She's an artist, never gives up on her dreams, and can beat up anyone with a frying pan! Not to mention has the best animal companions ever.

Rating: 50/10 for frying pan skills and managing to have non-tangled hair, despite the actual title of the movie

3. Jasmine from Aladdin

Okay but can we just talk about this princess for a second? She isn’t going to stand for marrying just anybody, and all she wants is freedom: freedom to be herself. She isn’t afraid to stand up for herself, and doesn’t take crap from anybody, including Jafar. And hey, she ends up with one of the cutest Disney princes ever (second only to my dear Eugene) so she gets a pretty good deal.

Rating: 100/10 for having a pet tiger, like you can’t get any cooler than that

2. Nani from Lilo and Stitch

Nani is often overlooked, and I have no idea why, because she shows just what it means to be there for someone. Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind, and Nani shows that so well. She does absolutely everything she can to be there for her sister, including giving up on her own dreams and goals, even though she knows she can never really replace the parents they lost. She is such a role model.

Rating: 10000/10 for surfing abilities

1. Princess Leia from Star Wars

Who else deserves the top place on this list than our beloved space princess. She’s the leader of the resistance, she is strong as frick, an amazing fighter, smart, capable, and doesn’t take crap from anyone, including her love interest. There’s not much not to love about Leia from her hair braids to her actually functional outfits (as opposed to being overly sexualized), to basically every moment she is on screen. RIP Carrie Fisher, and may your incredible, inspirational legacy live on.

Rating: infinity/10 for everything